The Guardian and the Angel
by snapiesnape
Summary: Severus Snape doesn't want to take care of a child, but his newly orphaned little sister needs a guardian. Little does he know, he needs her, too.
1. Chapter 1

_Hello! This is the first fanfiction idea I ever had, nearly 10 years ago, modified._

 _A couple of things about this story before you read it, in case it's not your cup of tea (no spoilers though, don't worry):_

 _-This story takes place during the Golden Trio's time at Hogwarts, though I won't specify the exact timeline. However, I am a college student who doesn't have a lot of time to reread the books for such specific and exact timeline details, and I haven't read the books in a handful of years. Most of my timeline info comes from Google searches and the movies, so there are probably going to be some slight inaccuracies._

 _-It will follow canon, but only to an extent (in different ways- you'll have to read to see)._

 _-Our OC has passed that massive Mary Sue test (this is a good thing that doesn't matter too much, because I'm pretty sure Harry Potter himself fails that test)._

 _Please enjoy and review!_

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Quite often, many bad parents don't realize what an awful job they've done. Some deny that they made even the smallest mistakes until their graves. Others not only believe they were faultless parents, but exceptional ones as well.

Some of these bad parents did have good intentions- indeed, most of them did. Very few well functioning members of society stare down at their darling newborn baby boy or girl and think excitedly about how they plan to ruin them and raise them wrongly. Everyone expects perfection- a lovely suburban house with a white picket fence and red shutters, a luscious green lawn and a dog playing out front with the kids. The perfect kids. A boy and a girl, both with fantastic grades, pretty, smiling faces, and plenty of friends. They attend a good school, play sports and instruments, grow up and get married and have a beautiful family of their own.

But when it doesn't happen and they end up with a warped child, an imperfect child, they don't know what to do. So they deny that anything went wrong.

But some parents realize and understand the damage they did to their child. They realize- one way or another- that some things in their child's life are their fault. Sometimes this moment comes when their child drops out of school or becomes a drunk or begins robbing corner stores. Eileen Prince had this revolutionary moment when her son became a Death Eater.

Of course, she had known she was doing him wrong. Marrying the Muggle Tobias, the supposed love of her life, trying to see past his violent and drunken ways. She had given up everything for him and was furiously trying to make it work, hoping and praying that he would change and return to the sweet young man he had once been. But he never did. By the time she had realized how much her husband's wicked ways had affected her only son, Severus had left home and moved in with a Death Eater friend of his by the name of Lucius Malfoy. He had been sixteen.

She was devastated when Severus left, but Tobias didn't seem to care. He would yell and scream at her, telling her to get over it, that they would have other children that weren't as freaky and bookish and evil. That Severus was nothing and if he had ever cared about her, he would've stayed. She tried to believe that last statement, tried to believe that he didn't love her. But she remembered him helping her when Tobias had hit her, defending his mother from his awful, drunken father, even before he was old enough to go to Hogwarts. It wasn't that Severus didn't love her. Severus just needed to save himself.

But she didn't leave. With Severus gone, Tobias was all she had left. She was hopeless. That was, until she discovered she was pregnant.

She was fifty years old and pregnant. What were the chances, especially since both herself and Tobias were so unhealthy! She took it as a second chance, at life, at parenting, at being happy. But she knew that the only way things could be better was if Tobias was gone.

So, she kicked him out. Obliviated him, Apparated with him away to a small town in Northern Ireland, then returned back to Spinner's End. She cleaned the entire house, burned his things, and made space for her baby. A new life was beginning.

She became friends with the neighbors who helped her through her pregnancy. She got a new job. And then, on a beautiful October day, she gave birth to a healthy baby girl. She named her Charlotte, after her favorite aunt whom she loved and missed, who had been the only member of her family not to shun her completely when she had married Tobias. And so began her new life.

But it never felt full without Severus. How could it? She couldn't pretend he had never existed. But it had been so long without so much as even a letter from him.

Then, on October 31st, 1981, the Dark Lord fell and Eileen grew fearful of what would happen to her son. Would he be arrested? Would he be sentenced to the Dementor's Kiss?

She nearly gave up hope of ever seeing him again.

But on November 4th of the same year, he arrived at her front door. He couldn't stay long but informed her a few things- he was alive (obviously), he was living in a flat in London during the summer, but was the Potions Master at Hogwarts, and he had been cleared of all charges. He apologized for leaving. He was about to disappear out of her life again when he noticed the baby playing on the floor behind his mother.

"Are you minding children?" He asked, not sure why he cared.

"No, Severus," she said in a whisper, joy beaming from her face. "She's mine."

He didn't know how to react to being told he had a sister young enough to be his daughter. He was pleased to know that her mother had kicked the sperm donor out of the house and that this child wouldn't have to deal with him. But he felt some sort of resentment towards his new sister. He was his mother's failure- she was her success.

So he said his goodbyes rather quickly and left. A few weeks later, Dumbledore asked him about her and how he felt. He muttered that it did not affect him and went on his way.

He only saw Charlotte at Christmas. On her birthday, he would send a present. He didn't do it for her, he did it for his mother. As much as he was angry with her, he knew she wasn't totally to blame for his failure of a childhood. He knew she had been devastated when he left. So seeing them at least once a year made his mother extremely happy and gave him enough time away from them.

As for his sister, she seemed to like him enough. She was rather chatty, which annoyed him, but that was how most young girls were, he supposed. She liked her presents, she liked her life. She was excited for Hogwarts, ready to learn magic, but asked much too many questions. He sent her books. But besides his biannual encounters, he never saw either of them. He was barely in their lives.

But that all changed the summer of 1991.


	2. Chapter 2

"Your mother is dead."

Sometimes, Severus forgot how cold Dumbledore could be. Despite his issues with her, she had been his bloody mother, hadn't she? The Headmaster was never good at gently giving any bad news- Severus vividly reflected on when he broke the news that Lily Evans had been killed by the Dark Lord. How apathetic and cold he had seemed…

Severus sighed and rubbed his temples, letting the news sink in. His mother was dead. "How?" He asked, looking at the desk in front of him and not the headmaster who stood before him.

"A stroke. Very sudden. Very unexpected. They said she went quickly." Severus nodded and sighed again. She was too young to die- especially for a witch- but he also very surprised she had lived this long. Years with the sperm donor had worn her out.

He then realized something. "What about Charlotte? What are they going to do with her?" He looked up at Dumbledore, who seemed solemn. The headmaster folded his hands in front of him.

"You are her next of kin," he said slowly. "As of right now, you are her legal guardian."

Severus blinked. "Excuse me?"

"That is part of the reason why I summoned you here today," Dumbledore explained.

"Besides telling me very coldly that my mother is dead?" Severus spat, the reality finally hitting him.

"I am sorry, Severus, truly, but there is much to be done. Death often means setting affairs in order."

"And my… Mourning means nothing?"

"You have seen death many times. Your relationship with your mother has always been complicated and as of late, you were not very close."

"And you are blaming me for that?" Severus asked coldly.

"Not entirely. There was blame on many parts. Obviously, her death will affect you. She was your mother." The Headmaster walked around the desk and stood next to Severus, looking over him. He put his hand on the younger man's shoulder and Severus shrugged it off. Dumbledore sighed.

"But Charlotte is much younger than you," the older man continued. "She has never seen death before and now, at her young age, has seen her mother dead. The mother she has had an extremely close bond with her entire life. The mother she thought she would have for a much longer period of time. She needs you."

"And what if I say no? I am in my right to do so, am I not?" He stood up.

"Indeed, you are," Dumbledore said kindly, trying to calm Severus down. "But think of the psychological effect this will have on her. Her mother dies spontaneously. Her only living relative says he does not want her. She is put in the foster system and comes to Hogwarts and is taught by the brother who has rejected her. She will grow up to be contemptful and hateful."

Severus felt so angry. He wanted to kick the desk, throw all the blasted trinkets on it at the old man. Why was everything always so dependent on _him?_ On _his_ willingness to comply? Why, now, did he have to take on another responsibility?

"I can't be a guardian," Snape declared. "How am I supposed to take care of her? What if the Dark Lord returns, what do I do with her then?"

"I am sure that will take care of itself in due time," Dumbledore said calmly.

"It will take care of itself?" Severus snarled. "Are you mad? We have meticulously planned for _years_ what is to be done if the Dark Lord returns. Now, you want to throw in a new variable and trust it will take care of itself!"

"We have no reason to believe that your master-" Snape nearly flinched at the words. "-will return within the year. We have that much time to begin to plan. And truly, Severus, it will take him quite some time to regain full power and he will be much more concerned with that and killing Harry Potter. I am sure your young sister will be the least of his worries." Snape scowled, unconvinced. Things were not that easy. "As for how to take care of her, you will only need to do so in the summer. Hogwarts will do it for you for the rest of the year. She will be a first year in one month. I am sure you can manage."

"I have not even said yes!"

"Well, if you are considering saying no, do tell me now. I'm not sure how much longer she can sit around at the Ministry waiting for an answer."

He felt a pang of guilt. Damn Dumbledore, guilting him into doing shit left and right.

"And has anyone asked Charlotte herself what she wants?"

"She wants her mother," Dumbledore said sadly. "And she does not want to be a foster child. You are the happy medium."

"Or the begrudging medium," he muttered under his breath.

"Do decide now, Severus. The Ministry grows impatient."

He sighed, knowing what he was going to decide to do, but still unsure. Raising a child? Mind you, only for a few years before she could go on her own. Seven years. He could deal with her for a couple months out of the year for the next seven years. Hopefully, if she was anything like him, she would keep to herself. But from what he had seen when visiting, Charlotte was not like him at all. Still, she could adapt, he supposed.

She was going to be a great inconvenience, that was sure. But his mother would want it. It'd be his last gift to her.

"Fine. I'll take her."

Dumbledore clasped his hands together. "Excellent! Glad to hear it, my dear boy! Come, the Ministry awaits!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Just sign here and you can take her home!"

He shot a glare at the overly sweet receptionist who had handed him a document. She made it sound like he was adopting a puppy.

He glanced over the document. Charlotte had their mother's maiden name. How he envied her. He quickly signed the paper and rose to his feet.

"She's sitting outside the room waiting for you!" The woman said with a big smile and a giggle. He glared at her again and left the room.

He looked down to his left and there she was, sitting in the dark hallway. Her head was bowed and her long black hair was covering her face. He didn't know what to do so he cleared his throat and she looked up.

"Are you ready, then?" He said, feeling awkward and perhaps a bit nervous. She nodded, saying nothing. Stoic and quiet. More like him than she had ever been or perhaps ever would be again. She got to her feet and followed him down the halls of the Ministry.

"Where are we going?" She asked quietly and the question stopped him in his tracks. Good question. Where were they going? He was planning on walking out of the Ministry and up to London to his flat. But what of Spinner's End, where all her belongings- and memories of their dead mother- were?

"I have a flat in London. Would you prefer to go there or to Spinner's End?"

"I don't want to go to Spinner's End," the girl spat bitterly. Of course she wouldn't. He wondered how it happened, if she found their mother dead. If she watched her die. If a neighbor told her. Now was not the time for questions, however, and he continued his walk out of the Ministry with his sister.

They took the elevator back up to London and began their five block walk from the Ministry. Night had fallen, finally. This dreadful day would be over.

"Are you hungry?" He asked as they passed a restaurant.

"No."

Better for him and his wallet, anyway.

They reached his flat and she looked around. It was dark and rather small. Tidy and organized, which was unexpected for a bachelor pad. "You don't have any belongings?" He asked.

"They're at home." He sighed, knowing they would have to go back. He'd have to empty either the London flat or Spinner's End and sell it. There was a lot of work to do.

"We'll have to go there tomorrow and get them then."

"I don't want to," she said again, this time in a hushed whisper. Less bitter, more afraid.

"Unfortunately, in times like these we all must do things we don't want to do," he said plainly. She didn't seem pleased with that answer and looked like she was about to retort rudely- as he would've done- when he spoke again. "You can have my room. I'll see you in the morning." She seemed rather shocked by his briskness, but went into said bedroom and slammed the door.

It was going to be a long seven years.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"So rumor has it you're a father of sorts now," Minerva said as they did some registration paperwork in her office about a week later.

"If that's what you'd like to call it," he muttered.

"Oh, come now. It can't be that awful. I've met Charlotte, she's a very sweet girl."

"Is she? I wouldn't know."

Minerva looked at him sternly. "Severus, be reasonable. Her mother's just died."

"I know. She was my mother, too," he shot back. Minerva sighed.

"I know, but you are not an eleven year old orphan who's just seen death for the first time."

"As Dumbledore continuously tells me."

"You're being harsh," Minerva said kindly. "Honestly. How has it been?"

Good question.

The day after she had moved in, he suggested they go to Spinner's End but she refused.

"You're being ridiculous," he said plainly. "You have no clothes here, Muggle or otherwise."

"I don't care," was her simple response.

The following day, it had been decided that there would be no funeral and that the next task at hand was deciding what to do with Spinner's End. Charlotte would not leave the flat and instead decided she was going to completely take over his bedroom and read his books and go through his things. He normally would have been severely annoyed or angry at someone doing this, but it got her out of his hair and left him to get things done.

He went to Spinner's End. The house looked as it had for the past eleven years- bright, clean, and orderly. So different from when he had been a child. Everything seemed fine- nothing seemed in need of repair. If he were to sell it, really all he'd have to do was be rid of the furniture and personal belongings.

He went upstairs. Now, here he had not been since he had left home fifteen years prior. There wasn't much to it- two bedrooms and a bathroom. He peered inside his old bedroom, now his sister's. It was painted a pale aquamarine color and a pretty bed with a white canopy was centered against the wall. Said wall was covered in posters and pictures. Typical for an eleven year old girl. He remembered Lily having a similar room.

There was stuff simply everywhere- stuffed animals, trinkets, a bicycle helmet, and _books._ She had a huge bookshelf stuffed to the brim with worn out books. She had obviously used them all.

He grabbed a random bag he found on the floor and tossed a few of the books inside. Maybe she'd rather have some of her own. He went into her closet and tossed in some clothes. Hopefully, she would consent to coming back here soon enough. He debated going into his mother's room but decided against it. Going through that mess was going to take a while.

He soon realized that there was really no other option besides leaving London and moving back into Spinner's End. He hadn't enough time before September to clear out and sell a house. Besides, the London flat was much too small for the both of them and buying another place would take much too much time.

But the rest of the week had gone by and his sister had not budged about going back to the house. Perhaps Minerva was right, he had been a bit harsh with her. Still, he was sick of the noncompliance and did not know what to do.

He explained this briefly to his companion and she shook her head. "Severus, you cannot demand that she go with you and show your exasperation! You need to be kind."

He sighed. It was difficult to be kind and understanding, but if it was going to get her to cooperate, it was worth a try.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"May I speak with you?" He asked, not quite sure how to go about this. She was reading one of his books- again- sprawled out on his bed. She looked annoyed by his interruption and he smirked.

"If you want," she said in a tone that reminded him of himself. She sat up, trying to seem bigger than her small frame allowed and she looked rather ridiculous.

"I know you don't like talking about Spinner's End," he began, walking into the room. She already seemed turned off to any type of conversation. "But it's rather important that we do." She didn't reply and looked at the wall behind him. "You start Hogwarts in two weeks, correct?" 

Her eyes suddenly lit up at the mention of Hogwarts and she looked at him. "Yeah."

"We have to get all of your things from Diagon Alley," he explained. "Not to mention your train ticket. If we were to move from Spinner's End, we would have to find a new place and move everything before the school year begins. We wouldn't have the time- or perhaps even the money- to get you everything you need."

Her face fell. "But… why can't we stay here?" He made a face and she understood immediately- it was much too cramped in here, even without her belongings. "Can't you sell this flat and use the money to buy a new one?"

"I rent." He said simply. The younger girl seemed upset and defeated when she realized he was right. They had to stay there. "I understand why you don't want to return. Believe me, I have awful memories of that wretched place as well." She gave a small smile. "But it would only be for the two months of summer."

It seemed that Minerva McGonagall knew what she was talking about, because for the first time, Charlotte consented. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

XXXXXXXXXX

Being a "parent" was not that hard and Severus constantly wondered why his mother had failed so miserably with him.

They moved into Spinner's End the next day- which did not take much effort at all. Charlotte packed her small bag, Severus packed the small amount of clothes and books he brought home for the summer into a few trunks. He left a note and two months rent for the landlord and they Apparated to Spinner's End.

It was expected that she would get emotional returning there. When they arrived, she hurried up the stairs into her room, probably to cry. It was sad, but it gave him time to settle in before she would get hungry or ask him for something. He went to his mother's room- his new room now, he supposed, and with a wave of his wand collected all of her belongings, shrunk them, and sent them flying into a trunk. Perhaps he ought to have carefully gone through them, but that was for another day, when he had the time and energy. He then sent his belongings from his own luggage and had them fall into place across the room.

He loved magic.

The following day they went to Diagon Alley to get Charlotte's things. Seeing his students was beyond bizarre and they apparently felt the same way, staring at him and the girl he was with.

"Is everyone staring at you because you're a professor?" She asked as they headed to Ollivander's.

"You're very observant," he muttered.

"Do they think I'm your kid? You should pretend that I am!"

"I will do no such thing."

The next two weeks really did fly by. He had to go to Hogwarts for staff meetings and to finish his lesson plans. She rode her bike with her little neighborhood Muggle friend named Mason and watched telly- something he despised but dealt with. She also spent hours reading her new school books and whenever he came home, she pestered him with questions about Hogwarts and magic to no end. He tried to be patient- be kind, Minerva had said- but it got irritating. Still, he did his best. Besides, it was good that she was slowly reverting to her overly chatty and talkative self. She was healing and coping. He made sure she ate and didn't come home past dark- she was only eleven ("nearly twelve," she would chip in), after all. Yes, parenting was quite simple.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

August 31st came much more quickly than she expected. She spent the entire day packing her trunk, making sure she brought every book she could possibly need. Her school clothes were folded so neatly and nicely. Yes, it was perfect. She was finally ready to go to Hogwarts!

She heard a pebble hit against her window. She hurried over excitedly and pushed the window open, letting the sweet summer air hit her face. "Mason, you're just in time! I'm done packing!"

"Thank God," he said. "I've been bored all day. Can we go to the park? It isn't dark yet."

"I'll be right down," she called, shutting the window. She hurried down the stairs- her brother was doing paperwork in the sitting room. She was immensely curious about sort of paperwork Hogwarts professors did- what if there were Hogwarts secrets?- but she was more eager to see Mason than to ask about that. "Can I go to the playground with Mason? It isn't dark yet."

He looked up from his work and glanced out the window. The sun was slowly descending and its golden light was seeping into the room. "Be back before it gets dark," was all he said and she hurried out of the house to get her bike. He peered out the window as she rode off with Mason and it reminded him of another young pair of friends who would hurry off to the playground down the road the summer before Hogwarts.

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They reached the playground and dumped their bikes to the side, then hurried over to the swings. They started swinging, higher and higher, who can go higher? Until Mason abruptly stopped his swing.

"Summer's over, Charlie," he said glumly. She continued to swing.

"No, it isn't. It's not over till it's dark out! Keep swinging!"

But Mason didn't seem to want to continue swinging. "You're leaving for Hogwards tomorrow and I won't see you again till June." Charlotte realized her friend was genuinely sad and stopped swinging.

" _Hogwarts._ Not Hogwards. And I suppose, but aren't you excited to start secondary school?"

"Not particularly, no," Mason said, drawing something with his sneaker in the dirt. "You really aren't coming home for Christmas? You always said you would."

"But that was before…" She faded off. Hogwarts wouldn't feel the same without her mother to write home to and visit. Life didn't feel the same. "I don't have anyone to come home to. My brother works at the school and he has to stay for every holiday."

"Why do you have to go to a boarding school in Scotland? Why can't you just come to school with me- it's only down the road." He was beginning to sound angry and Charlotte couldn't help but feel bad for him. Mason didn't know she was a witch, nor that Hogwarts wasn't just a regular boarding school. About 7 months ago, Mason had _applied_ to Hogwarts and Professor McGonagall had sent him their generic Muggle rejection letter, which had saddened her friend.

"It's what Mum wanted," she said quietly and her friend looked less angry and more sad.

"I'm sorry, Charlie. I didn't mean to make you feel bad." She didn't say anything, but started swinging very slowly and low to the ground. "You can't call me?"

"They don't have telephones, but I'll write you once a week," she said, giving him a small smile. Mason half-heartedly returned to smile and also began to swing again. They watched as the sun disappeared behind the trees. Summer was over.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Here's your ticket- don't lose it- and you can roll your trunk onto the platform. A Prefect will help you put it on the train."

"Can't you come onto the platform with me?" She said quietly, looking hesitantly at the wall in front of her.

"You're a smart girl; you can surely board a train on your own," he assured her. "I have to go to Hogwarts now- I'm already late enough as it is." She still looked hesitant about it and he was about to bid her goodbye when she pulled on his shirt sleeve in a gesture for him to kneel down. He froze momentarily. He glanced around- he didn't see any of his students- then hesitantly got down on one knee and was face to face with his sister.

"I'm scared, Sev," she whispered and he nearly grimaced at her use of the nickname.

"Of?"

"Hogwarts. What if nobody likes me? Or what if I'm bad at magic?"

"You won't be bad at magic unless you're lazy," he said simply. "As for people liking you- I don't know much about that." She grinned at his sarcasm. "Hurry along now, it's nearly 11." He stood up and the young girl wrapped her arms around him for a moment (to which he reacted tensely and didn't reciprocate, but she didn't notice), smiled at him, then grabbed her trunk. She faced the wall, inhaled deeply, and ran through.

Severus sighed with relief. Finally, he was alone.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

All she wanted was for her brother to like her.

Despite only seeing him once or twice a year, she had always liked him. He brought her nice things and told her about Hogwarts. Her mother said that he was a genius- the top of his year and the youngest Potions master in history. She would never stop raving about her Severus and how successful he was. Charlotte would never say it to his face- she was much too proud- but she had always admired and aspired to be just like him. She always had the feeling that he didn't like her very much, as a child. He was never affectionate in any capacity, and the fact that he barely visited showed he didn't care to see them too often. He had been nice enough since their mother's death, she supposed, but perhaps he had to be. Perhaps he was doing it for Mum's memory… Charlotte didn't know.

She would work hard at Hogwarts. She would be the top of _her_ year. She didn't know if her brother would care what House she ended up in, but she didn't have much control over that, did she? But being the best was something she could control.

She wandered down the Hogwarts Express, peering into compartments. She wanted to make friends, but everyone seemed so… tall. And intimidating. She had reached the end of the train and hadn't found a single compartment that she would risk entering into. She sighed and turned around to walk down the train again when one of the doors opened and a boy about her height with white blonde hair came out.

"Hey, you!" He shouted. "What's your name?"

She blinked. "Charlotte."

"Are you sitting anywhere?"

"No."

"Come sit with us." He gave a smile that didn't give her the warm feeling smiles usually did, but since she had no friends and nowhere to go, she entered his compartment.

"Crabbe, Goyle, Parkinson, Zabini, meet… what was your last name?"

"I didn't give it," she said simply, her dark eyes scanning the compartment. Two fat boys, a normal sized rather good looking boy, a pale ugly girl, and the blonde boy. "And I don't know your name."

"Draco Malfoy," the boy said with a smirk, closing the compartment door behind her. "You're a first year too, right?" She nodded and he gestured for her to sit beside him. She did and the girl called Parkinson looked annoyed. The compartment didn't seem all jolly and companionable as the others did. It felt more like a meeting with Draco as the leader. "You still haven't given your last name."

"Prince."

"Prince?" Parkinson remarked and she nodded. Was the girl deaf as well as ugly? "That's a pureblood name."

"I know who you are!" Draco Malfoy said suddenly. "You're Professor Snape's sister, aren't you? My father told me you were coming to Hogwarts too." The boy called Zabini looked interested.

"How do you know my brother?" Charlotte asked, confused. Who was this boy and his father, anyway?

"He's my godfather," Draco said as though this was common knowledge. Charlotte raised an eyebrow. She had never seen or heard of any of her brother's friends. Certainly, he had to have some, she figured. Everyone had friends. "He and my father are quite thick. I suppose we will be as well." Parkinson looked concerned again and this time Draco noticed. "What's wrong, Pansy? You look constipated."

"Nothing!"

"Anything from the trolley, dears?" A chubby witch with gray hair had opened the compartment door and with her was a cart of sweets. The two fat boys trampled everyone in an effort to make it towards her, fumbling for their money. As Draco yelled at them, Charlotte glanced at the quieter boy by the window. She quietly stood up and went to sit across from him.

"Zabini, was it?" She asked.

"Blaise Zabini, yeah," he said softly with a smile, much warmer than Draco Malfoy's. "Your brother's a professor here?"

"Yeah," she said with a grin back. "I mean, he's pretty old. Not ancient, but old enough to be my dad and a professor."

"What does he teach?"

"Potions and he's Head of Slytherin." The boy raised his eyebrows.

"Interesting. Mum expects me to be in Slytherin. So do the parents of this lot here." He nodded towards the other four, still fumbling by the candy cart. "I suppose your parents do as well?"

She felt odd at the thought of her mother. "My mum died a month ago. I live with my brother now."

"Sorry to hear that," the boy said with a slight frown. She waved it off.

"You didn't know."

"So your brother- he expects you to be in Slytherin, doesn't he?"

She looked back at the group of future Slytherins, then at her new friend. "I don't know."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Did you hear what they're saying on the train?" Pansy Parkinson said as they drifted on the boats towards Hogwarts. Charlotte pulled her eager eyes away from the beautiful, glistening castle. "Harry Potter is coming to Hogwarts! And he's in our year!"

"Harry Potter? Really?" Blaise asked.

"We need to make him our friend," Draco said suddenly.

"Why?" Charlotte asked and the entire boat looked at her

"What do you mean 'why'?" Draco said, exasperated. "Harry Potter is _famous_ and he's bound to be the most popular kid in our year. If we get him in our group, there will be no stopping us."

Charlotte frowned. She didn't understand why Draco cared so much. What would "stop them"? And stop them from doing what? She wanted to argue with him but what if she didn't make any other friends at Hogwarts? She couldn't lose the only ones she had her first day! But she pushed the thoughts aside and continued to take in everything. This was the night she had been dreaming of forever…

The boats landed and the herd of first years were lead across the dark grounds. She tried to see what was around, but it was much too dark. Tomorrow, she could go exploring! At Hogwarts! What a lovely prospect!

The group of children arrived into what she knew was the Entrance Hall. In front of a set of large wooden doors stood a stern looking older woman. "That's McGonagall," Blaise whispered. "My mum knew her. She likes Gryffindors." Charlotte looked her up and down.

"She doesn't look like she likes anything, much," she whispered back.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "Now, in a few moments, you will pass through these doors and join your classmates. But before you can take your seats you must be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin."

"There he is," Draco hissed at the group, nodding towards the scrawny boy with the crooked glasses. He was standing beside a boy with bright red hair. "Once this old crone stops talking, we make our move." He gently nudged Crabbe and Goyle and they nodded dumbly.

"Now, while you are here, your house will be like your family," the professor continued. "Your triumphs will earn you house points. Any rule breaking, and you will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup." Charlotte glanced at her friends, hoping they would seem as interested as she was. They didn't. She frowned.

"Trevor!" A chubby boy shouted as a toad leapt from beside Professor McGonagall and into his arms. She gave him a stern stare and the boy muttered an apology and backed away.

She looked back at the crowd of first years. "The sorting ceremony will begin momentarily." She then disappeared behind the large wooden doors.

"So it's true then," Draco said from where they were standing. "What they're saying on the train. Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts." The group of first years started whispering. Apparently, not everyone had heard. Well, now they had. Draco approached Harry with Crabbe and Goyle. "This is Crabbe and Goyle. And I'm Malfoy. Draco Malfoy." Charlotte rolled her eyes. Why did he speak as if he was so important? Obviously, the boy beside Harry Potter agreed with her as he stifled a chuckle. Draco's eyes narrowed. "Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask yours! Red hair and a hand-me-down robe? You must be a Weasley." He said the name with such disgust. The Weasley looked hurt and angered and Charlotte felt terrible for him.

Draco turned back to Harry Potter. "You'll soon find out that some wizarding families are better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort." He turned back to Weasley, then back to Harry Potter. "I can help you there." He stuck out his hand and the other boy looked down at it, then looked back at Draco.

"I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself, thanks," he said cooly and Draco's face fell. Professor McGonagall appeared behind him and tapped his shoulder with a roll of parchment. Draco's eyes narrowed at Harry as he went to the back of the crowd of first years with Crabbe and Goyle. She saw them approaching herself, Blaise, and Pansy when she hurried towards the front to where Harry Potter and the Weasley boy were standing.

"Hey," she whispered into his ear and the two boys glanced back at her as McGonagall spoke. "I'm sorry he said those things to you," she said to the Weasley. "And I'm… I'm not good at making friends. But I'd like some." The two boys looked at each other and while Weasley looked hesitant, Harry smiled.

"What's your name?"

"Charlie- Charlotte," she corrected quickly, stumbling over her words. She was trying to get rid of the boyish nickname, but the boy called Weasley grinned.

"I like Charlie. I've got a brother called Charlie. He lives in Romania and works with dragons!" Charlotte grinned back. She liked dragons. Who didn't?

"What's your name?"

"Ron Weasley," he said brightly but his face fell as McGonagall was staring at the three of them with a harsh eye. Suddenly the door to the Great Hall swung open. McGonagall had finished speaking and they were about to enter.

"What did we miss?" Harry whispered hurriedly.

"She probably just talked about the Sorting," Ron said nonchalantly, as if he had done it hundreds of times. But Charlie wasn't listening. They were entering the Great Hall. It didn't matter how much she had heard about it from her mother or from the books she had read. Nothing, _nothing_ compared to seeing it in real life. It was gorgeous, big and bright with lights everywhere. The ceiling, which an annoying poofy haired girl was giving facts about, was the most magnificent thing she had ever seen.

"It's beautiful," she breathed to Harry as they reached the front of the hall. But Harry wasn't paying attention and instead was looking past her. She followed his eyes and saw that he was looking at Severus.

"Agh!" Harry gasped, his hand going to his scar.

"Is something the matter?" Ron asked but Harry shook his head.

"Nothing. I'm fine." He looked away from Severus and back towards McGonagall. Charlotte looked at her brother, who made eye contact with her for a second, before looking away. How very odd. But the interesting interaction was soon forgotten as McGonagall called out the first name- Hannah Abbott.

And so the Sorting began. The annoying poofy haired girl was named Hermione Granger and she was put in Gryffindor. Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy Parkinson were all put in Slytherin. She was beginning to get nervous as Pansy hopped off the stool and hurried off to sit next to Draco. She would probably be next and now, for the first time, she was worried about where she would end up. She wasn't quite sure if she liked those people she had met on the train. The Zabini boy was nice but he had not been Sorted yet. Then again, he had said he was planning on being in Slytherin too… And Severus was a Slytherin, wasn't he? And maybe Harry Potter and Ron Weasley would go there as well. She felt conflicted and held her breath as McGonagall called out the next name.

"Harry Potter!"

She sighed in relief. The Hall burst into whispers and everyone's eyes were glued to the scrawny boy with glasses as he made his way to the stool. She noticed that even the staff seemed on edge, minus Severus, who looked bored as ever. Harry climbed up on the stool and McGonagall placed the hat on his head. The hall sat in absolute silence, waiting and waiting. Merlin's Beard this was taking quite a while. Draco's sorting had taken all of five seconds. But finally, after what felt like years, the hat shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!" The hall erupted into cheers and Harry gave a huge smile. Charlie smiled at him as he passed her but felt even more confused by where the hat placed him. What if Harry, Ron, and Blaise all went to Gryffindor and she didn't?

"Charlotte Prince!"

Maybe she should have done all of this contemplating about which House she ought to be in over the summer instead of right before she was about to be sorted. Then again, she had been a bit distracted…

She climbed up to the stool, not looking at Severus even though she could feel his eyes on her. She sat down upon it and Professor McGonagall gave her a small smile before placing the hat on her.

" _Well! It's been awhile since I sorted one of you! Another one from the Prince Line, interesting. Very interesting. Well let's have a look at you. Intelligent, very intelligent. And very kind. You could be brave too, if you wanted to be."_ She looked at the table where Harry sat, where the brave sat. She could be brave.

" _I can be brave,"_ she thought. _"I know I can be brave."_

The hat scoffed. _"And that is a perfect example of your strongest trait, my dear."_

" _What's that?"_

" _Ambition. More ambition than I've seen in anybody in this room. I know exactly where you ought to go._ SLYTHERIN!" The hall erupted into cheers again, the loudest ones coming from the Slytherin table at the edge of the hall. Ron looked shocked but Harry didn't seem to mind too much and waved to her as she passed. She reached the table and sat down next to Draco who patted her on the back. She looked up at Severus who was looking at her and she smiled. He smirked and turned away and she knew he was happy with where she ended up. Even if she wasn't sure how she felt about it, if it brought her closer to him, it was probably worth it.

The Sorting wrapped up and Ron ended up in Gryffindor with Harry, to her disappointment. But she would have classes with them, wouldn't she? She would make new friends in this House as well. It would be okay, she decided, as Blaise was Sorted into Slytherin and came to sit beside her.


	3. Chapter 3

_This chapter includes text from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone._

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"How have your classes been so far?" Severus awkwardly asked his eleven year old sister, as he handed her a cup of tea.

He never "invited" people down into his office and certainly not into his quarters across the hall. Students served detention in his classroom. That was also where remedial lessons were held. He was not quite sure many students even knew where his office was located. As for his colleagues, none of them had any reason to venture down to the deepest end of the dungeons to see him. If they needed him they would Floo or perhaps wait for a meal. Minerva had popped by once when he had first started teaching there. Dumbledore had been thrice in the past 10 years.

It was a corner of the castle where he was completely alone. His solitude was his saving grace. He hated children. He hated teaching. But this little cove of his, away from every blinking, critical eye, was sacred. And there were _no_ children.

Well, until now.

"Did Charlotte tell you about her Transfiguration class this morning?" Minerva had asked Severus in the staffroom late Thursday afternoon as he chugged half a cup of very black coffee. He despised Thursdays.

"No," he said plainly.

"What of her Charms lesson on Tuesday?" Flitwick asked chipperly, as he walked over towards them. "She is an absolute dream in my class, Severus. She earned five House points."

"Indeed? Excellent." He finished downing his coffee and put the mug in the sink. He turned back to his colleagues who were looking at him rather oddly. "What?"

"Have you even _spoken_ to her?" Minerva asked, hands on her hips.

"She's been rather busy, hasn't she?" He sneered back. "Earning House points and what not."

"Come, Severus, do not be this way," Flitwick urged. "Many of us put bets on who will come out on top from every first year class and your sister has earned quite a few."

"Not from me," McGonagall retorted and Severus glared at her. "All of her classes have been going swimmingly. Except for mine. It seems she's like you in that regard. You never were good at Transfiguration. My bet is on Hermione Granger."

"Your loss," Severus shot back.

"Now perhaps if you bloody spoke to her, you would know how her academics are!" Minerva's voice rose now and a pair of professors in the corner looked up from their game of chess.

"Minerva, it is the fourth day of school," Severus said, exasperatedly. "I'm fairly sure if she is doing so well in everything else, she will survive Transfiguration."

"Just _talk_ to her, Severus! You can't ignore her."

"None of the other children have their guardians here to converse with," he countered and she sighed and groaned in annoyance.

"Merlin's…. They still write to them!" Severus sighed and said nothing. Dumbledore had said this would be simple. Only two months a year. Hogwarts could raise her from September to June. Apparently, that was not the case. Severus knew Minerva was right. "Just… anything, Severus." The Deputy said, her voice much softer. "Invite her to your office and just let her _speak._ It won't kill you, you know."

Wouldn't it?

"They're good," Charlotte said, giving him a big smile before sipping her tea. She put the large cup on the desk before her. She was so petite, everything seemed massive in comparison. "Herbology is rather dirty, isn't it? We go thrice a week and my bag has gotten filled with dirt each time!"

"Don't bring your bag. Carry your textbook and tuck some spare parchment inside." He hadn't realized it until after he said it that he had just given her advice. Perhaps more brotherly than fatherly, but she was his sister, not his daughter.

"I hadn't thought of that," she said, her forehead crinkling slightly. "Well, it's very easy, in any case. So's Charms. And Defense is a joke!" He smirked at that. He knew Quirrell would be a spectacular failure. "And I'm very good at Astronomy as well," she said boldly. He had the quiet notion that she was trying to impress him, that she cared what he thought. It touched him momentarily, but then he remembered what Minerva had said.

"And what of Transfiguration?"

"It's fine," she said quickly, suddenly very interested in her tea. She was obviously ashamed that Hermione Granger- whoever that was- had done better than her. He was about to tell her that he had spoken to Professor McGonagall and knew it had gone poorly and that she ought not lie. But her mood had wilted very suddenly and while he was bad at dealing with children, he was wonderful at reading and playing people. He had been a spy, after all.

"Indeed? That's good to hear. I was dreadful at Transfiguration." She lifted up her head immediately.

"I thought you were the top of your year."

"I was. Transfiguration was a nightmare, even so. But I'm glad to know you won't have that problem." He heard her foot tapping against the wooden chair. A nervous tick. How interesting.

"Well, I don't know. I mean it was… fine, but it could have been better. I don't think I'm too good at it either to be honest." She shrugged.

"I suppose you now know what you'll need to work most on," he said simply and she nodded, seeming perhaps a little more hopeful about the subject. "And how is Draco?"

She looked as though she had just remembered something. "I didn't know you have a godson!" she exclaimed.

"Well, you obviously do," he said with a slight smirk. "I noticed you sit with him at meals. You get along?"

"I suppose. He's rather… stuck up, sometimes. But he isn't so bad. I have other friends too, like Blaise and Harry and Ron and Millicent and-"

"Harry? Harry who?" He felt, before she even said it, that it was who he thought. But he didn't want to believe it…

"Harry Potter. He's a Gryffindor. The famous one, remember?"

"Yes, I _remember,"_ he spat disdainfully and she seemed slightly taken aback. "You'd do well to stay away from him."

"Why?" She asked confused. "He's a lot nicer than Draco sometimes-"

"You are mistaken, I'm sure," he said roughly and he could hear the bitterness dripping from each syllable he spoke. He noticed his sister's eyes slightly sadden by his words and he wanted continue on not caring. But he couldn't do it. He sighed. "Maybe spend more time with Draco and the other Slytherins than with Potter and his friends." There. That sounded more neutral. He supposed.

"But Harry invited me to sit with him and Ron at breakfast tomorrow!" She exclaimed, a slight whine in her tone.

"Dear Merlin, don't bloody whine," he muttered, not caring that he cursed. "Fine. Do what you want."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"What have we got today?" Harry asked Ron and Charlie as he poured sugar on his porridge.

"Double Potions with the Slytherins," said Ron. "Snape's Head of Slytherin House. They say he always favors them- we'll be able to see if it's true."

"I'm not sure if that's true," Charlie said between bites of toast. "I mean, he didn't seem to care where I was Sorted."

"What d'you mean?" Ron asked. "I don't think any of the professors really care."

Charlie looked at him confused but then her eyes widened and her mouth formed an "o". "I forgot, you lot aren't in Slytherin. He's my older brother."

Ron promptly spit out his pumpkin juice. " _WHAT?"_

Harry didn't seem as shocked. "He's rather old to be your brother, isn't he?"

"I think he's thirty. I'm not quite sure," she told him honestly, but Ron still seemed bewildered.

"I can't believe you're related to _Snape!"_ He exclaimed again.

"Is she really?" Seamus Finnigan said from nearby.

"Thanks, Ron," Charlie muttered.

"Well, I'm sorry," Ron said half-heartedly as the Gryffindor table began buzzing with the news. "It's just… You don't seem much like him. Snape doesn't really like anyone much and you like just about everybody. In fact, you're not much like your git Slytherin friends either. I've never met a Slytherin who wasn't a git." 

"Ron, that's rude," Harry countered. "Charlie, I'm sorry. It isn't bad to be related to a professor." She huffed and truly wanted to run from the Gryffindor table. But from the corner of her eye, she could see Severus looking at her. If she left in a fuss, he'd know something was wrong and would tell her to stay away from Harry. And she didn't want that.

"I know," she said, continuing to eat her toast and ignore her table, wondering what her brother was like as a teacher.

She walked down to the dungeons with a crowd of Gryffindors, including Hermione Granger, who would not shut up about potions. Charlie did not like her one bit. They arrived to the chilly dungeons, where Charlie rejoined her Slytherin clan, sitting in between Draco and Millicent.

Severus started the class by taking the roll call and paused at Harry's name.

"Ah, yes," he said softly, "Harry Potter. Our new - celebrity."

Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle all sniggered behind their hands. Charlie lightly whacked Draco's arm. "That's mean," she whispered.

"Who cares," he countered, and went back to giggling with the two chubby cronies beside him. Charlie rolled her eyes.

Severus finished calling the names and looked up at the class. "You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potionmaking," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word- he had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death-if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

Charlie raised her eyebrows in interest at his little speech. _The delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins…_ that sounded like magic to her! Despite there being little wand-waving. She could see that the ridiculous Hermione Granger was on the edge of her seat and looked desperate to start proving that she wasn't a dunderhead.

"Potter!" said Severus suddenly and all eyes were on Harry. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

 _Draught of the Living Death!_ Charlie thought to herself. She hoped Severus would call on her next. But Harry glanced at Ron, who looked as stumped as he was; Hermione's hand had shot into the air. What an annoyance.

"I don't know, sir," said Harry.

Severus's lips curled into a sneer. "Tut, tut- fame clearly isn't everything." Charlotte waited for him to look to another student- anyone but the overly eager Gryffindor girl- but he did not. "Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?" _The stomach of a goat._ Hermione stretched her hand as high into the air as it would go without her leaving her seat, as Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle shook with laughter.

"I don't know, sir."

"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter? What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?" Charlotte watched the interaction with mild horror. Why did Severus dislike Harry so much? Oh, how she wished she was closer, so she could whisper the answer. Hermione was now standing up, her hand stretching toward the dungeon ceiling.

"I don't know," said Harry quietly. "I think Hermione does, though, why don't you try her?" Charlotte's eyebrows shot up and a few people began laughing. Severus did not look pleased.

"Sit down," he snapped at Hermione and Charlie grinned. "For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite. Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?

There was a sudden rummaging for quills and parchment. Over the noise, Snape said, "And a point will be taken from Gryffindor House for your cheek, Potter."

Severus put them all into pairs and set them to mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. Charlie was paired with Draco. "This one is easy," she said eagerly, watching as her brother wrote the instructions on the board. "I've read about this one. Only an idiot would butcher it."

"S'pose you can do most of the work then," Draco said a fakely sweet smile. She frowned.

"No, I'll need your help, if that suits you," she said rather saucily. "Go get the materials from the cupboards." He raised an eyebrow but did as he was told.

Severus swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, criticizing almost everyone except Charlie and Malfoy. It was towards the end of class when clouds of acid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon. Neville Longbottom had somehow managed to melt Seamus's cauldron into a twisted blob, and their potion was seeping across the stone floor, burning holes in people's shoes. Within seconds, the whole class was standing on their stools while Neville, who had been drenched in the potion when the cauldron collapsed, moaned in pain as angry red boils sprang up all over his arms and legs.

"Idiot boy!" snarled Snape, clearing the spilled potion away with one wave of his wand. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?" Neville whimpered as boils started to pop up all over his nose. "Take him up to the hospital wing," Snape spat at Seamus. Then he rounded on Harry and Ron, who had been working next to Neville. "You- Potter- why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor."

Charlie wanted to say something- her brother was being absolutely awful towards Harry for _no_ reason! But she had to finish the potion- one minute away and everything would be ruined.

She and Draco finished their concoction. She cleaned the work station while Draco filled some into a vial and handed it in. "He said we got an O," Draco told her when he returned. She didn't say anything as she put her books back into her bag hurriedly. Harry and Ron were just leaving. She hurried off after them, up the stairs.

"Cheer up," Charlie heard Ron say, "Snape's always taking points off Fred and George. Can I come and meet Hagrid with you?"

"Harry!" She called after them. They stopped and turned to look at her. "Harry, I'm really sorry he was so awful! I don't know why."

"I…" Harry looked like he was struggling for words, but then he sighed. "It's not your fault. We're going to Hagrid's for tea. Would you like to come?" She felt relief flood her body. She had been so scared that they would hate her. She nodded and headed off up the castle with them. Harry was the nicest boy she had met in school so far- why did Severus dislike him so?


	4. Chapter 4

_This chapter contains text from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone_

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"I don't understand how you can bear to be friends with that ugly git, Potter," Draco said one Tuesday afternoon at lunch, his eyes following Harry, Ron, and Dean as they entered the Great Hall.

"I don't understand why you dislike him so much," Charlotte said with a shrug. Draco inhaled deeply.

"Did you forget how he-" Draco looked as though he was about to vomit. "- _snubbed me,_ in front of _everyone_ on the first day of school?"

"I don't think it was _snubbing,_ really-"

"You're always defending him!" Draco exclaimed. "Never me! And we're friends as well! Do you fancy him?"

"I don't defend you because Harry never speaks ill of you in front of me," she said coolly. "And no, I don't fancy him!" She sighed in exasperation and went back to eating her sandwich. After a moment of thought, she turned back to Draco. "We don't even see the Gryffindors very much, only on Fridays at Potions."

"Thank Merlin," Millicent muttered. "I know you like them, Charlotte, but they can be absolutely _insufferable!_ "

She gave half a nod. As much as she enjoyed Harry and Ron's company, she knew Millicent was half right. Gryffindors were hard to deal with in high dosages. She had recently come to terms with being placed in Slytherin and had decided that the hat had made the right choice. "Hermione Granger," Charlie muttered and a few people chuckled.

If there was one person in school she truly disliked, it was without a doubt Hermione Granger. Hermione wanted to be the best, as did Charlotte. But Charlie worked hard in silence. She studied constantly. She knew the answers Hermione did, she could perform the spells just as well (Transfiguration was a different story). But because stupid, arrogant, flaunting Hermione Granger raised her stupid little hand in the air every ten seconds, the professors thought she was better! Except Severus, of course. He was the only one who saw reason.

Well, maybe not completely. His inexplicable hatred of Harry was certainly irrational.

"Actually, we're going to have to see them twice a week now," Blaise said. "Didn't you see the notice in the common room? We have Flying Lessons with them on Thursdays."

"Brilliant!" Draco exclaimed, nearly leaping out of his seat. "That'll show scarface! I'm a fantastic flyer!"

"We know," Charlie, Blaise, and Millicent all said in unison. Draco grimaced and sat back down in silence.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

To get Minerva to leave him alone and to make sure his charge wasn't mentally ill, failing any classes, or joining a gang, Severus decided to make Wednesday nights before Charlotte's Astronomy class "their time". When he proposed the idea to her, she had tried to seem calm about it, but her eyes had lit up with excitement.

So every Wednesday after dinner, Charlotte would go off to her brother's office. Usually, he would help her with her Transfiguration homework. She struggled so much with it that by the time they had finished, it was already 11:30 and all they had time for was a cup of tea and a dry conversation about her coursework and Hermione Granger.

But this particular Wednesday night, it was 10:30 and the Transfiguration homework was finished and checked multiple times. Severus mentally grimaced. It wasn't that he didn't _like_ his sister- she was fine. She did well in school, was mildly unproblematic, seemed to have enough social skills to make friends. As far as raising a child went, she was as easy as it got. But heart to hearts made him uncomfortable. Children also made him uncomfortable. So heart to hearts with children were absolutely horrendous.

"Why don't you like Harry?" She asked him as soon as he started pouring the tea. He sighed quietly. He was waiting for her to demand answers out of him. He would not mention James Potter's name in front of her.

"He is irritating, disobedient, and rude. He thinks he is much better than everyone else because of his celebrity status and is not particularly bright."

"That's not true," she said quietly. "Harry's really nice. Maybe if you just-"

"I will not be persuaded about this," he said rather harshly. "My interactions with Potter are none of your concern so I will kindly ask you to stay out of them. Just as I leave you to be his-" He grimaced. "- _friend_ without question."

She sighed to herself. She supposed that was fair. She pulled up her legs to her chest and put her chin on her knees, a sudden wave of sadness hitting her. "I miss Mum, Sev."

Whatever he was expecting her to say next, that wasn't it. When their mother had died, he hadn't said much to comfort her. What was there to say? He had left her on her own because she had seemed to like it that way. But now, she was expressing her grief to him for the first time. He shuffled his left foot awkwardly. "I know," he said.

"I think about her a lot," she continued and he nearly grimaced. "I try and be happy and I am…. I have fun here and I made a lot of friends. But I don't know if I'll ever get over losing her."

What the hell was he supposed to say to that? Blast his mother for dying and leaving him with this mess! "She wouldn't… you shouldn't… Don't focus on getting over it. I suppose you just have to live to honor her memory." There. That sounded sort of profound, didn't it?

"I guess so," she said. "I don't think she'd want me to be sad, would she?"

"No, she wouldn't."

"And she'd want me to be happy with my friends and to do well in my classes, right?"

"Of course." He nearly laughed. She was giving herself the advice he needed. How easy was it to raise this child sometimes….

She smiled. "Thanks Sev. You always make me feel better."

XXXXXXXXXXX

"It's a Remembrall!" Neville explained to the group of Gryffindors at lunch that Thursday. "Gran knows I forget things- this tells you if there's something you've forgotten to do. Look, you hold it tight like this and if it turns red- oh..." His face fell, because the Remembrall had suddenly glowed scarlet.

"You've forgotten something..." Hermione murmured.

"Obviously," Charlie whispered under her breath and Ron chuckled beside her.

Neville was trying to remember what he'd forgotten when Draco Malfoy, who was passing the Gryffindor table, snatched the Remembrall out of his hand. 

Harry and Ron jumped to their feet, but Professor McGonagall, who could spot trouble quicker than any teacher in the school, was there in a flash. 

"What's going on?" 

"Malfoy's got my Remembrall, Professor." 

Scowling, Malfoy quickly dropped the Remembrall back on the table. 

"Just looking," he said, and he sloped away with Crabbe and Goyle behind him. 

At three-thirty that afternoon, the Gryffindor and Slytherin first years hurried down the front steps onto the grounds for their first flying lesson. It was a clear, breezy day, and the grass rippled under their feet as they marched down the sloping lawns toward a smooth, flat lawn on the opposite side of the grounds to the forbidden forest, whose trees were swaying darkly in the distance. 

There were twenty broomsticks lying in neat lines on the ground. Their teacher, Madam Hooch, arrived. She had short, gray hair, and yellow eyes like a hawk. 

"Well, what are you all waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up." Charlotte walked over to what she thought was the most normal looking broom.

Her mother had used magic at home, though she was a rather weak witch, so Charlie had not been nervous to hold a wand or cast some spells. Potions were a new concept, mostly- though her brother had sent some along whenever she was sick as a child. But how much different was it from cooking, which she already was able to do? Not much. Nothing she had encountered at Hogwarts had been too foreign.

But she had grown up in a Muggle neighborhood, without a backyard. She had never held a broom, let alone flown on one. But she remembered how nervous she had been before she learned to ride her bike. She hadn't even wanted to sit upon it at first. But once she learned, it became as natural as walking. She rode her bike all over her Muggle town, to the park, to school, to see Mason.

"Stick out your right hand over your broom," called Madam Hooch at the front, "and say 'Up!"' 

_Like riding a bike…_ "UP!" everyone shouted. 

Charlotte's broom jumped into her hand at once, but it was one of the few that did, along with Harry's. They grinned at each other from across the pitch. Hermione Granger's had simply rolled over on the ground, to Charlie's glee, and Neville's hadn't moved at all. Madam Hooch then showed them how to mount their brooms without sliding off the end, and walked up and down the rows correcting their grips. _This isn't so bad!_ She mused as she adjusted herself.

"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," said Madam Hooch. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle- three- two-" 

But Neville, nervous and jumpy and frightened of being left on the ground, pushed off hard before the whistle had touched Madam Hooch's lips. 

"Come back, boy!" she shouted, but Neville was rising straight up like a cork shot out of a bottle- twelve feet- twenty feet. Charlotte saw his scared white face look down at the ground falling away, saw him gasp, slip sideways off the broom and- 

WHAM- a thud and a nasty crack and Neville lay facedown on the grass in a heap. His broomstick was still rising higher and higher, and started to drift lazily toward the forbidden forest and out of sight. 

Maybe flying wasn't so easy.

Madam Hooch was bending over Neville, her face as white as his. "Broken wrist," Charlie heard her mutter. "Come on, boy- it's all right, up you get." She turned to the rest of the class. 

"None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch.' Come on, dear." 

Neville, his face tear-streaked, clutching his wrist, hobbled off with Madam Hooch, who had her arm around him. 

No sooner were they out of earshot than Malfoy burst into laughter. "Did you see his face, the great lump?" Crabbe and Goyle joined. 

"Shut up, Malfoy," snapped Parvati Patil. 

"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?" said Pansy. "Never thought you'd like fat little crybabies, Parvati."

Charlie stood awkwardly off to the side, not sure if she ought to do anything or just stay out. She knew her housemates were wrong to be teasing Neville…. but he had been a little ridiculous, hadn't he? She glanced at Blaise who stood beside her, also looking slightly conflicted.

"Look!" said Malfoy, darting forward and snatching something out of the grass. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him." The Remembrall glittered in the sun as he held it up. 

"Give that here, Malfoy," said Harry quietly.

Everyone stopped talking to watch. 

Malfoy smiled nastily. 

"I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find - how about - up a tree?" 

"Give it here!" Harry yelled, but Malfoy had leapt onto his broomstick and taken off.

"Hm," Charlie murmured. "He actually can fly rather well, can't he?" Blaise nodded and they both glued their eyes to their friend in the sky. Hovering level with the topmost branches of an oak, Malfoy called, "Come and get it, Potter!" 

Harry grabbed his broom. "No!" shouted Hermione Granger. "Madam Hooch told us not to move- you'll get us all into trouble." But Harry ignored her. He mounted the broom and kicked hard against the ground and up, up he soared.

"Whoa!" Charlie exclaimed to Blaise. "He's really good too! Has he ever flown before?"

"Nope!" Ron said proudly from nearby and the crowd of first years started gasping and whooping and cheering.

Harry turned his broomstick sharply to face Malfoy in midair. "Give it here," Harry called, "or I'll knock you off that broom!"

"Oh, yeah?" said Draco. Harry leaned forward and grasped the broom tightly in both hands, and it shot toward Draco like a javelin. Draco only just got out of the way in time; Harry made a sharp about-face and held the broom steady. A few people were clapping. 

"No Crabbe and Goyle up here to save your neck, Malfoy," Harry called.

"Catch it if you can, then!" he shouted, and he threw the glass ball high into the air and streaked back toward the ground. 

Harry leaned forward and pointed his broom handle down- next second he was gathering speed in a steep dive, racing the ball. Everyone started screaming and cheering and roaring with excitement as Harry stretched out his hand. A foot from the ground he caught it, just in time to pull his broom straight, and he toppled gently onto the grass with the Remembrall clutched safely in his fist. 

"HARRY POTTER!" Everyone fell silent and turned to see that Professor McGonagall was running toward them.

"Never- in all my time at Hogwarts-" Professor McGonagall was almost speechless with shock, and her glasses flashed furiously, "-how dare you- might have broken your neck-" 

"It wasn't his fault, Professor-"

"Be quiet, Miss Patil-"

"But Malfoy-"

"That's enough, Mr. Weasley. Potter, follow me, now." 

Draco Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle looked triumphant as Harry left, walking in Professor McGonagall's wake as she strode toward the castle. Draco turned to walk towards Charlie and stopped when he was right beside her. "See? I told you he was trouble. Now he's going to be expelled."

"You egged him on," Charlie countered and Draco's forehead crinkled. "You shouldn't have taken Neville's Remembrall."

"I was only fooling around," Draco said with a slight shrug. "He shouldn't have dove down like that."

"Neither of you should have been on the brooms," she said, starting to get more upset as she realized that Draco might have caused Harry to be expelled. "You should be getting in trouble as well!"

"I _know_ how to fly. Potter's never flown in his life! He was risking his life!"

"And yet he's a much fairer flyer than you," she hissed with venom. She turned on her heel and walked away.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Charlotte was still upset about Harry's assumed expulsion at dinner that evening. Draco had tried twice to speak with her but she had ignored him and asked Millicent if she was also hearing an annoying buzzing sound. She knew Draco was sorry, but no apologies would bring Harry back.

But apparently, something else did as Harry walked into the hall for dinner that night. The first year Gryffindors cheered as he entered the hall and Charlie was beaming with excitement. She stood up and hurried over to the Gryffindor table to where Harry was stuffing his face.

"Seeker?" Ron said. "But first years never- you must be the youngest house player in-"

"About a century, said Harry, shoveling pie into his mouth. "Wood told me." 

Ron was so amazed, so impressed, he just sat and gaped at Harry.

"So you didn't get into any trouble?" Charlie asked hurriedly, taking in all the excitement. "You just got put on the Quidditch team?"

Harry nodded. "I start training next week," said Harry. "Only don't tell anyone, Wood wants to keep it a secret." 

Fred and George Weasley, Ron's twin brothers, now came into the hall, spotted Harry, and hurried over. 

"Well done," said George in a low voice. "Wood told us. We're on the team too - Beaters." 

"I tell you, we're going to win that Quidditch cup for sure this year," said Fred. "We haven't won since Charlie left- our brother Charlie- but this year's team is going to be brilliant. You must be good, Harry, Wood was almost skipping when he told us." 

"Anyway, we've got to go, Lee Jordan reckons he's found a new secret passageway out of the school." 

"Bet it's that one behind the statue of Gregory the Smarmy that we found in our first week. See you."

Fred and George had hardly disappeared when Malfoy, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle, appeared.

"Having a last meal, Potter? When are you getting the train back to the Muggles?" 

"You're a lot braver now that you're back on the ground and you've got your little friends with you," said Harry coolly.

"I'd take you on anytime on my own," said Malfoy. "Tonight, if you want. Wizard's duel."

"Whoa, Draco, What are you-"

"Wands only," Draco said more loudly, ignoring Charlie's protest. "No contact. What's the matter? Never heard of a wizard's duel before, I suppose?" 

"Of course he has," said Ron, wheeling around. "I'm his second, who's yours?" 

Malfoy looked at Crabbe and Goyle, sizing them up. 

"Crabbe," he said. "Midnight all right? We'll meet you in the trophy room; that's always unlocked." With that, Draco sauntered away.

Ron and Harry looked at each other. "What is a wizard's duel?" said Harry. "And what do you mean, you're my second?" 

"Well, a second's there to take over if you die," said Ron casually, getting started at last on his cold pie. Harry looked rather worried.

"But people only die in proper duels, you know, with real wizards," Charlotte said hurriedly. "The most you and Draco will be able to do is send sparks at each other. Neither of you knows enough magic to do any real damage."

"And what if I wave my wand and nothing happens?" 

"Throw it away and punch him on the nose," Ron suggested.

"Excuse me." The three of them looked up. It was Hermione Granger. Charlotte groaned loudly.

"Can't a person eat in peace in this place?" Charlie said coolly.

"You're not even eating. This isn't your table," Hermione said factually. "Anyway, I couldn't help overhearing what you and Malfoy were saying-"

"Bet you could," Ron muttered. 

"-and you mustn't go wandering around the school at night, think of the points you'll lose Gryffindor if you're caught, and you're bound to be. It's really very selfish of you." 

"And it's really none of your business," said Harry.

"Good-bye," said Charlie, with a fake smile. Hermione seemed hurt for a moment, but then frowned with anger and went back to her seat. "She's the absolute _worst!_ Anyway, I ought to get going. Lots of homework to do. Good luck tonight!" And she hurried off, her mind in a whirlwind.

Though she would never admit it to another living soul, Hermione Granger's words of warning had struck a chord with her. Even though Harry and Draco could not hurt one another, the both of them had been so close to getting expelled today that another incident could not be good. And while she could not dissuade Ron and Harry not after telling off Hermione- she could try and dissuade Draco.

The blonde haired boy was sitting in the common room, playing with a ball. "Draco?" He turned to look at her.

"Oh, now you want to speak to me after your precious Potter is alright," he sneered.

"You can't blame me for being upset," she argued. "Listen, you can't duel Harry tonight-"

"Why not?" He said, standing up. "You're worried that I'll hurt your ickle-boyfriend." She raised an eyebrow.

"No," she said slowly. "I'm worried that you and Harry will get in a lot of trouble, _especially_ after today. You ought not go and you ought to tell Harry not to go either."

"Why would I d-" But then he paused in what seemed to be contemplation. After a moment or so, he gave her a strange smile. "You're right, Charlie. Fine. I'll call it off."

The way he spoke made her feel uneasy. "Are you sure you're going to?"

"Yes, yes, I promise," he said hurriedly. He stuck his hand out. "See? I'll shake on it."

She looked at it hesitantly, then took it and shook. "I'm glad you saw reason," she said with a slight smile.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next morning, Charlie spotted Harry and Ron walking ahead of her as she made her way to the Great Hall. "Hey! Wait for me!" She called out. They turned to look at her. They looked absolutely exhausted. "You both look a mess."

"Yeah, well-" Ron began but Harry swatted him into silence.

"What?" She asked, rather confused.

"Nothing," Harry said hurriedly. "We've gotta go do some Potions homework while we eat breakfast. See you in class." And they hurried off, leaving Charlie stunned in confusion.


	5. Chapter 5

_This chapter contains text from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone._

XXXXXXXXX

It was after listening to a few stories from Neville, Millicent, and Dean that Charlie realized Draco had not called off the duel, but just did not show up, and Harry and Ron had gone to meet him, almost getting caught by Filch. It also became obvious that Draco had told people that Charlie had told him the duel was off. Harry and Ron were angry with her and she was angry with Draco.

After about a week of ignoring the lot of them, she finally mustered up the courage to explain what had happened to Harry and Ron, who reluctantly forgave her. She, in turn, reluctantly forgave Draco for being such a menace.

XXXXXXXXXX

On Halloween morning, Charlotte woke to the delicious smell of baking pumpkin wafting through the corridors. Even better, Professor Flitwick announced in Charms that he thought they were ready to start making objects fly, something they had all been dying to try. Since it was Halloween, Flitwick decided to put all of the first year students into one class together to practice. The Charms classroom was packed to the brim and the heightened energy of the room made Charlie more excited.

Professor Flitwick put the class into pairs to practice. Charlotte was partnered with Millicent and beside them was Ron, working with Hermione Granger. It was hard to tell whether Ron or Hermione was angrier about this. Hermione hadn't spoken to any of them since the day Harry's new broomstick had arrived a week or so back. Charlotte was beyond thrilled about that.

"Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" squeaked Professor Flitwick, perched on top of his pile of books as usual. "Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important, too- never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest." 

It was very difficult. Millicent swished and flicked, but the feather they were supposed to be sending skyward just lay on the desktop.

"I think you're doing it too forcefully," Charlie noted. Millicent nodded and tried again, this time much more gently. Nothing happened.

"Why is this so difficult?" Her friend whined, but tried again a few more times. Charlotte, after watching her partner and many others around the room fail and after repeating the incantation in her mind over and over again, was ready to try it. She raised her wand just as Seamus set fire to his feather across the room- Harry had to put it out with his hat. 

"You're saying it wrong," Charlotte then heard Hermione snap to Ron. "It's Wing-gar-dium Levi-o-sa, make the 'gar' nice and long." 

Something snapped inside of her as she heard the girl being so insufferable towards Ron. She whirled around.

"You do it, then, if you're so clever!" Charlotte snarled. 

Hermione rolled up the sleeves of her gown, flicked her wand, and said, " _Wingardium Leviosa_!"

The feather rose off the desk and hovered about four feet above their heads. 

"Oh, well done!" cried Professor Flitwick, clapping. "Everyone see here, Miss Granger's done it!" 

Red hot anger filled up within Charlotte. _She_ should've been the first one to levitate the feather. Hurriedly, she hurried around and swished and flicked her wand. _"Wingardium Leviosa!"_ Her feather delicately lifted off of her desk and into the air.

"Well done, Miss Prince!" Flitwick cheered with less enthusiasm as he had given Hermione.

Both Charlotte and Ron were in a very bad mood by the end of the class. "It's no wonder no one can stand her," Charlotte said to Ron and Harry as they pushed their way into the crowded corridor, "she's a nightmare, honestly. " 

Someone knocked into Harry as they hurried past him. It was Hermione. Charlie caught a glimpse of her face- and was startled to see that she was in tears. 

"I think she heard you." Harry said softly.

"So?" said Charlotte, but she felt a bit uncomfortable.

"She must've noticed she's got no friends." Ron said, also not looking quite confident.

Hermione wasn't seen all afternoon. Before she went to the Great Hall for the feast, Charlotte had gone to the bathroom and heard Hermione crying in the stall. She wasn't sure what to do, so she quickly and quietly used the loo and hurried down to the Great Hall. She didn't like being mean, it felt unnatural. But Hermione was just so… ugh! She could not stand the sight of her or her presence.

But upon entering the Great Hall, she forgot about Hermione. A thousand live bats fluttered from the walls and ceiling while a thousand more swooped over the tables in low black clouds, making the candles in the pumpkins stutter. The feast appeared suddenly on the golden plates, as it had at the start-of-term banquet. Charlie hurried over to her friends at the Slytherin table. She started pilling chicken onto her plate when Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the hall, his turban askew and terror on his face. Everyone stared as he reached Professor Dumbledore's chair, slumped against the table, and gasped, "Troll- in the dungeons- thought you ought to know." 

He then sank to the floor in a dead faint. 

There was an uproar. It took several purple firecrackers exploding from the end of Professor Dumbledore's wand to bring silence.

"Prefects," he rumbled, "lead your Houses back to the dormitories immediately!" 

Marcus Flint immediately stood up and started ushering the first years out the door. 

"Follow me! Stick together, first years!"

"I don't want to go to the dungeons," Millicent said nervously. "Isn't the troll down there?"

"Merlin- Flint! The troll is in the dungeons! That's where our common room is!" Draco exclaimed, as though he had been the one to realize, but Flint shushed him and continued ushering them out of the hall.

"I have to use the bathroom," Pansy whined and Charlie was about to snap at her to shut up when she remembered something. _Bathroom..._

"Merlin…." She pushed past Millicent and dashed off back into the Great Hall, desperately looking for Harry's messy hair. She nearly began to sob after nearly three whole minutes without seeing him, when she saw the trademark Weasley hair from the corner of her eye. _Please be, Ron…._ She darted towards the red hair and soon saw Harry right beside him. She nearly flung herself at them.

"What's wrong?" Ron asked immediately, seeing the panic in her face.

"Hermione! She's in the girls' bathroom! She doesn't know about the troll!" Harry and Ron looked at each other. Ron looked hesitant.

"We can't leave her," Harry said.

"Oh, all right," Ron snapped. "But Percy'd better not see us." 

Ducking down, they joined the Hufflepuffs going the other way, slipped down a deserted side corridor, and hurried off toward the girls' bathroom. They had just turned the corner when they heard quick footsteps behind them. 

"Percy!" hissed Ron, pulling Harry and Charlotte behind a large stone griffin. 

Peering around it, however, they saw not Percy but Severus. Charlie gasped and immediately ducked behind Ron even more. Her brother crossed the corridor and disappeared from view. 

"What's he doing?" Harry whispered. "Why isn't he down in the dungeons with the rest of the teachers?" He and Ron looked at her and she shrugged.

"Search me. But if he catches us, I am beyond dead."

Quietly as possible, they crept along the next corridor after her brother's fading footsteps. 

"He's heading for the third floor," Harry said.

"How do you know? He could be going to any upstairs floor!" Charlotte countered defensively.

Ron held up his hand. "Can you smell something?" 

Charlotte sniffed and a foul stench reached her nostrils, a mixture of old socks and the kind of public toilet no one seems to clean. 

And then they heard it - a low grunting, and the shuffling footfalls of gigantic feet. Ron pointed- at the end of a passage to the left, something huge was moving towards them. They shrank into the shadows and watched as it emerged into a patch of moonlight. 

It was a horrible sight. Twelve feet tall, its skin was a dull, granite gray, its great lumpy body like a boulder with its small bald head perched on top like a coconut. It had short legs thick as tree trunks with flat, horny feet. The smell coming from it was incredible. It was holding a huge wooden club, which dragged along the floor because its arms were so long. Charlie crinkled her nose, more disgusted than fearful.

The troll stopped next to a doorway and peered inside. It waggled its long ears, making up its tiny mind, then slouched slowly into the room. 

"The key's in the lock," Harry muttered. "We could lock it in."

"Good idea," said Ron nervously. 

They edged toward the open door, mouths dry, praying the troll wasn't about to come out of it. With one great leap, Charlotte managed to grab the key, slam the door, and lock it. 

"Yes!" 

Flushed with their victory, they started to run back up the passage, but as they reached the corner they heard something that made their hearts stop- a high, petrified scream- and it was coming from the chamber they'd just chained up. 

"Oh, no," said Ron.

"It's the girls' bathroom!" Charlotte gasped.

"Hermione!" they said together. 

It was the last thing they wanted to do, but what choice did they have? Wheeling around, they sprinted back to the door and turned the key, fumbling in their panic. Harry pulled the door open and they ran inside. 

Hermione Granger was shrinking against the wall opposite, looking as if she was about to faint. The troll was advancing on her, knocking the sinks off the walls as it went. 

"Confuse it!" Harry said desperately to Ron, and, seizing a tap, he threw it as hard as he could against the wall. 

The troll stopped a few feet from Hermione. It lumbered around, blinking stupidly, to see what had made the noise. Its mean little eyes saw Harry. It hesitated, then made for him instead, lifting its club as it went. 

"Oy, pea-brain!" yelled Ron from the other side of the chamber, and he threw a metal pipe at it. The troll didn't even seem to notice the pipe hitting its shoulder, but it heard the yell and paused again, turning its ugly snout toward Ron instead, giving Harry time to run around it. 

"Come on, run, run!" Charlotte yelled at Hermione, trying to pull her toward the door, but she couldn't move, she was still flat against the wall, her mouth open with terror. 

The shouting and the echoes seemed to be driving the troll berserk. It roared again and started toward Ron, who was nearest and had no way to escape. Harry then did something that was both very brave and very stupid: He took a great running jump and managed to fasten his arms around the troll's neck from behind. The troll couldn't feel Harry hanging there, but even a troll will notice if you stick a long bit of wood up its nose, and Harry's wand had still been in his hand when he'd jumped- it had gone straight up one of the troll's nostrils. 

Howling with pain, the troll twisted and flailed its club, with Harry clinging on for dear life; any second, the troll was going to rip him off or catch him a terrible blow with the club. 

Hermione had sunk to the floor in fright; Charlotte pulled out her own wand- not knowing what she was going to do she heard herself cry the first spell that came into her head: " _Wingardium Leviosa!"  
_

The club flew suddenly out of the troll's hand, rose high, high up into the air, turned slowly over- and dropped, with a sickening crack, onto its owner's head. The troll swayed on the spot and then fell flat on its face, with a thud that made the whole room tremble. 

Harry got to his feet. He was shaking and out of breath. Ron and Charlotte stared at the troll in awe, Charlotte's wand still in the air, in awe.

It was Hermione who spoke first. 

"Is it- dead?" 

I don't think so," said Harry, "I think it's just been knocked out." 

He bent down and pulled his wand out of the troll's nose. It was covered in what looked like lumpy gray glue. 

"Urgh- troll boogers." 

He wiped it on the troll's trousers. 

A sudden slamming and loud footsteps made the four of them look up. They hadn't realized what a racket they had been making, but of course, someone downstairs must have heard the crashes and the troll's roars. A moment later, Professor McGonagall had come bursting into the room, closely followed by Severus, with Quirrell bringing up the rear. Charlotte closed her eyes in horror. She was going to be in _so_ much trouble. Her brother looked at the troll in disgust, then back at her with an angry glare. Quirrell took one look at the troll, let out a faint whimper, and sat quickly down on a toilet, clutching his heart. 

Severus bent over the troll. Professor McGonagall was looking at Ron, Harry, and Charlotte. Charlotte had never seen her look so angry. Her lips were white. 

"What on earth were you thinking of?" said Professor McGonagall, with cold fury in her voice. Charlotte realized her wand was still in the air and dropped it hurriedly. "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitories?" 

Severus gave Harry a swift, piercing look and then gave one to Charlotte as well. Charlie looked at the floor.

Then a small voice came out of the shadows. 

"Please, Professor McGonagall- they were looking for me." 

"Miss Granger!" 

Hermione had managed to get to her feet at last. "I went looking for the troll because I- I thought I could deal with it on my own- you know, because I've read all about them." 

Charlie nearly gaped. Hermione Granger, telling a downright lie to a teacher? She had never heard anything like it. "If they hadn't found me, I'd be dead now. Ron distracted it and Harry stuck his wand up its nose and Charlie- she's the one who knocked it out with its own club. " She felt her brother's eyes on her. "They didn't have time to come and fetch anyone. It was about to finish me off when they arrived." 

Harry, Charlotte and Ron tried to look as though this story wasn't new to them. 

"Well- in that case..." said Professor McGonagall, staring at the four of them, "Miss Granger, you foolish girl, how could you think of tackling a mountain troll on your own?" 

Hermione hung her head. Charlotte was speechless. Hermione was the last person to do anything against the rules, and here she was, pretending she had, to get them out of trouble. She suddenly felt a pang of guilt for making her feel so bad. 

"Miss Granger, five points will be taken from Gryffindor for this," said Professor McGonagall. "I'm very disappointed in you. If you're not hurt at all, you'd better get off to Gryffindor tower. Students are finishing the feast in their houses." Hermione left. 

Professor McGonagall turned to Harry, Ron, and Charlie. 

"Well, I still say you were lucky, but not many first years could have taken on a full-grown mountain troll. You boys each win Gryffindor five points and Miss Prince five Slytherin points. Professor Dumbledore will be informed of this. You may go."

They hurried out of the chamber, Charlie faster than both of the boys, as she didn't want to be stopped by her brother. They didn't speak at all until they had reached the Entrance Hall. It was a relief to be away from the smell of the troll, quite apart from anything else. 

"We should have gotten more than ten points," Ron grumbled. "Five, you mean, once she's taken off Hermione's. Good of her to get us out of trouble like that. Mind you, we did save her." 

"She might not have needed saving if we hadn't locked the thing in with her," Harry reminded him. 

"And if we hadn't been so mean," Charlie added. They reached the stairwell where the boys would climb up to Gryffindors tower and she would descend to the dungeons. She bid them goodbye and hurried on down to her own feast in the common room.

Maybe Charlotte would never love Hermione. There was something about an insufferable know-it-all that would never bode well with her. But from that moment on, Hermione Granger became their friend. There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other just a bit, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them.

The Feast carried on into the night. Charlotte, Blaise, and Millicent were playing a game of exploding snap in a corner of the common room, eating sweets, while Draco spoke with Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy, and Daphne Greengrass nearby.

"-And they don't know who defeated the troll but it's definitely dead now," Charlotte heard Draco say. She smirked slightly to herself.

"I wonder how it got in here," Blaise thought aloud. "I mean, security is really good here. It couldn't have just wandered in."

"It didn't just wander in, of course," Pansy said snarkily, her eyes flashing towards Draco every so often. "Someone had to have let it in!" At this, Charlotte perked her head up. They were right, of course, someone had to have let the troll in. She was sure everyone would figure it out, sooner or later, but Harry and Ron would definitely accuse Severus again. She didn't know who it was, but it certainly wasn't him. What motive would he have to do such a thing?

It was about an hour later when Marcus Flint approached her in the common room, saying Professor Snape wanted to see her in his office. She nearly shuddered at the words. She had known she couldn't hide from him forever…

She knew her brother wasn't someone who put up with much of anything. She also knew he didn't have to take her in when Mum had died- he had _chosen_ to. Something had made him say yes, but something could easily just make him change his mind. She tried to be as good of a child as possible- good grades, friendly enough. But of course she had to go save Hermione's life and get into trouble.

She knocked on his door and the door swung open. He was there, sitting at his desk, looking at the doorway where she stood. "Sit."

She hurried over to the chair, the door swinging shut behind her, and sat down. She stared at her hands, admiring how only one of her nails had chipped in that entire encounter. _Hello, I'm Charlotte Prince and I knocked out a full grown mountain troll and only chipped my left ring finger nail._

"Let's start from the beginning, shall we?" He was using his teacher voice. It didn't normally scare her, because it had never been directed towards her before. She still did not look up. "Professor Quirrell says there is a troll in the dungeons. Professor Dumbledore orders all the prefects to lead their Houses to their common rooms. Am I correct?"

"Yes," she said quietly, not sure if she ought to call him sir.

"You get up and follow Marcus Flint out of the Great Hall. About ten minutes later, Marcus Flint finds me to tell me that you are not only missing, but that you deliberately ran off back into the Great Hall and ten minutes after that, we find you in a bathroom having defeated a _troll."_ There was silence- perhaps he expected her to speak- but she said nothing. "Is that correct?"

"Yes," she muttered again.

"Look at me when you speak to me, Charlotte." She slowly raised her gray eyes to meet his black ones. "I want you to explain to me why you were in the bathroom with Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, Hermione Granger, and a full grown mountain troll." His voice was icy, but quiet. She inhaled deeply and swallowed hard.

"I was mean to Hermione Granger and she went crying into the bathroom and then the troll came and I got worried it would kill her so I found Harry and Ron and we went to go warn her but when we got there it was too late and it was trying to get her so we knocked it out!" She blurted loudly and quickly. Severus seemed slightly taken aback and blinked a few times. She was ready for him to tell her stop being friends with Harry and Ron, that he was done taking care of her, that in June she would be going to a foster home in Manchester. She looked back down at her hands.

She heard her brother sigh. "Have you eaten?" He asked, his voice much kinder now. She looked up and his eyes were closed and he was rubbing his temples.

"Yes," she said quietly and warily. When was he going to attack her angrily? She would rather he do it now…

He leaned back in his chair. "Good," he mused, nodding. He sighed again. "I don't believe Professor McGonagall was right in giving you House points. You shouldn't have gone to find Miss Granger with a bunch of first years. You ought to have notified a professor. You are _very_ lucky to have left the situation unscathed." She wanted to show him her fingernail but decided against it. He would deduct even more points if she was cheeky. "However, she is my superior and I shan't overrule her decision." Charlotte lit up immediately. She hadn't lost any points for her House yet and wasn't keen to start now.

"Thank you," she said happily but then she remembered that Professor McGonagall wasn't in charge of what punishment Severus would give her as a guardian. Her face fell immediately.

"What's wrong?" He asked. He thought she would be happy to keep her points.

There was no harm in asking. "Are you angry with me?" She asked, looking at him rather meekly.

He paused for a moment and really looked at her. She looked devastated and truly apologetic, maybe even scared. She didn't mean harm- that much was obvious. But from what she had told him, she had been the one with the idea to go look for Hermione Granger, a girl she despised. She risked her little young life to save a girl she didn't like. It reminded him, and he nearly gagged when he thought of it, of James Potter saving him from Remus Lupin all those years ago. Potter was a disgrace, however. Charlotte was genuine. Charlotte was good.

"I am angry that you didn't have the sense to not go looking for trouble," he said slowly. "But I am not angry with you." She brightened up immediately.

"Really? You're not going to give me away or give me detention or tell me to stay away from Harry and Ron?" All the words came tumbling out of her mouth before she could stop them and she flung her hands over her mouth. She had just given him ideas!

"What?" He said, shocked. "Why would I give you away? Who would I even give you to?"

Oh. "I… I don't know. I don't think you wanted a kid, and definitely not one who gives you trouble." She felt some tears welling up in her eyes. She was so _stupid._

He wasn't sure if he was supposed to hug her or what he was supposed to say. She began to cry and he merely watched awkwardly. What could he do?

"Do you want tea?" He asked awkwardly. That was what everyone usually did when someone was feeling a particularly negative emotion. She sniffled and wiped back some of her tears.

"I g-guess so," she stuttered. He stood up and walked over to the small kitchenette in the corner.

"I hate tea. I don't know how you drink it. It's _leaves,_ Charlotte. Bloody leaves." She seemed taken aback by his attempt at casual conversation and his cursing.

"Coffee is dreadful," she said quietly. "Mum loved coffee, too."

"How do you know I love coffee? What if I don't like to drink anything?" He asked.

"Mum told me. She talked about you all the time."

He felt a strange pang in his chest at the mention of their mother. "Oh, really? What else did she say?"

"That you were a genius. She'd never make any potions for herself or buy them in Diagon Alley because she only trusted yours. And every time you came for Christmas, she would make me clean for three days. _Three_ days, Sev." Obviously, the conversation had helped her feel better almost immediately. He handed her a tissue to wipe her damp face and puffy red eyes.

"I would have never come if I knew I caused that much of a fuss," he teased. But he felt a little bit of guilt as he poured her tea. His mother had cared so much for him in the last years of her life and he had all but snubbed her.

Then again, why hadn't she cared so much for the first sixteen years?

He placed the tea in front of Charlotte and leaned against the desk. "I will not tell you to ignore Potter and Weasley because you will whine and I will not want to speak to you," he said plainly. "You have made it plain that this excursion was your idea and not one they coerced you into and I will believe you. I am not going to punish you or give you detention because I think nearly dying has taught you enough of a lesson." She nodded eagerly. "However," and her face drooped slightly. "If I catch you doing something like this again, there _will_ be consequences and if it is with Potter and Weasley, I will demand that you end your friendship with them immediately. Do I make myself clear?" She nodded again, almost at a loss for words. "Good." There was a silence as Charlotte sipped her tea and Severus tried to figure out exactly how to address her other concern. She finished her cup and smiled at him.

"I'm sleepy. Can I go now? I have Herbology first thing tomorrow." She rolled her eyes at the word Herbology and Severus smirked.

"Yes, you may," he said and she put the cup down on his desk.

"Thank you, Sev. Good night." She walked towards the door.

"Charlotte," he stopped her and she turned back to look at him. "Don't worry about me giving you away. I only have to handle you for a few more years and I doubt you could do anything that would make me not want to deal with you any longer." He wasn't sure if that was too insensitive, but she smiled and exited the room.

He wouldn't say it to her, or perhaps not to anyone. But when Marcus Flint had said she was missing and when they had heard the screams of a young girl coming from the same room a large mountain troll was in, he had nearly lost his mind. It was when he first realized how much she meant to him, how much a silly little eleven year old girl he spoke to once a week meant to him.


	6. Chapter 6

And so Charlotte Prince continued her next two years at Hogwarts with the promise she made to her brother always on her mind- she did not get into a smidge of trouble. When Harry, Ron, and Hermione had gone to find the Philosopher's Stone, she had been in bed. When they had stumbled upon Mrs. Norris petrified, she had been eating dinner with Millicent and Blaise. She was in her common room playing exploding snap when Harry had gone to rescue Ginny from the Basilisk.

"Don't you feel left out of their little group since you don't go try and play hero with them?" Draco had asked smugly and rather loudly one morning at breakfast in June of their second year. She shrugged and stuffed the remainder of her waffle into her mouth, to Pansy's disgust.

"Not particularly," she had said, taking a gulp of pumpkin juice. "I'm no Gryffindor, despite what you must think of me. The theatrics and heroics don't interest me much."

She wasn't lying, either. While she actively tried to stay out of trouble for her brother's sake, she truly didn't care much for her Gryffindor friends' adventures. Their incessant curiosity was not something she shared with them, because none of the things they were curious about were very serious to her. Why should she care that the Philosopher's Stone was in the school, unless she herself wanted to use it? Of course, once they had pinned Severus as a serious suspect for being the one to steal it, they had stopped letting her in on their plans anyway. She could have figured out it was Quirrell in probably fifteen minutes if they had told what they had deduced- while they might be brave, they had very little of her Slytherin cunning. And yes, while she was also mildly interested about who the Heir of Slytherin was, she knew it wasn't any of her friends in her house and had told Hermione it was a waste of time to steal from Severus's stores and make Polyjuice Potion. They hadn't listened and Hermione had ended up as a half cat for quite some time.

The one thing she had been extremely curious about was You-Know-Who. Harry liked to say his name, but she had said it once in front of Severus and he had gone absolutely mad. At the end of both of their years at Hogwarts, Harry had faced him in some capacity in the deep depths of the school. _That_ was extremely interesting, yet absolutely frightening. How did You-Know-Who get into Hogwarts? How was he alive… but not really alive? She had always wondered about the man who had terrorized the wizarding world when she was just a baby, but her mother had refused to talk about it. Most of her Housemates seemed uncomfortable about the subject too. She didn't know why. But when she had asked her brother about it, he had made her promise him that if there was any talk among her "little Gryffindor friends" about hunting him down or fighting him, that she would leave as soon as the discussion started. It was imperative, he had said, that she not even hear what they had to say. She didn't know why and she pestered him about it for so long, but he wouldn't budge, and she was left to wonder.

She continued to work hard in school and with magic, always studying, trying to keep her marks in tip top shape, but at the end of each term they fell slightly short of Hermione Granger's. The Slytherin in her wanted to continue to hate her, but the experience with the mountain troll had truly changed how she felt about Hermione. So she tried her hardest to be kind and friendly, but sometimes it was difficult. Hermione, clever girl she was, noticed this and did her best to be less of an insufferable know-it-all when Charlotte was around. Of course, sometimes it couldn't be helped- it was ingrained deeply in Hermione's personality. Charlotte didn't appreciate the pity and continued to work harder than ever before.

She spent her summers at Spinner's End, watching telly, doing homework, and reading. She was desperate to know more, to _be_ more, and to be the best. And when she wasn't inside working, she was outside with Mason. They'd ride to the moor or the playground or to swim in the nice stream through the tree grove (that was nearly an hour's bike ride away and was a special trip). They'd ride across the river where the rich people lived and go into fancy clothing shops. They'd try on suits and big hats that looked silly on small, sweaty children, and then get kicked out. They'd talk about school and their new friends- sometimes they'd go see some of Mason's, since they lived so close- and would eat ice cream on the swings until the sun began to set and they'd have to race to their respective homes. Despite spending nearly ten months of the year apart now, with only the occasional letter during that time, it felt as if their friendship hadn't changed a smidge.

And then there was her brother. He was pleased with her behavior and her marks and let her buy herself nice things in Diagon Alley over the summers. They still met every Wednesday before Astronomy and he helped her with homework and gave bits of brotherly advice every so often. He always told her to perhaps talk to Draco more and Harry less, but she did as she pleased. They played a lot of wizard chess over the summers and she showed him some programs on the telly (he never was really interested). She would pester him with questions about magic and watch him work in his lab that he had created below the house- something that she knew was huge for him (he rarely let anybody into his private labs, let alone allow them to observe). But the emotional vulnerability he had shown her the night she had taken down the mountain troll had never appeared again. He wasn't verbally affectionate, she had noticed, nor physically. Maybe he just wasn't affectionate at all. But she knew he was proud of her and she loved to make him proud. And she had come to terms with the fact that he wouldn't send her away. Still, she didn't want to give him a reason to. She would continue to make him proud. Maybe one day, she could crack him.

Overall, life was good. She loved her brother and she loved her friends. She missed her mother, but knew she was smiling down upon her. She enjoyed her school days and her summers. She loved learning and magic and was excited for the future and what it had in store.

XXX

 _I mark the hours, every one, Nor have I yet outrun the Sun. My use and value, unto you, Are gauged by what you have to do._

The Time-Turner glistened in the sunlight as Charlotte held it in the palm of her hand. The words were inscripted on the golden rim, which surrounded a spinning pendant holding a small hourglass with deep purple sand. It was solid gold, Professor McGonagall had said upon handing it to her, so she mustn't lose it. The glance her brother had given her said the same- he would have to pay if something happened to it.

"Miss Prince, are you paying attention to what I'm saying? Or are you not ready to have the responsibility of such a dangerous magical object?"

Charlotte snapped her head up quickly and locked eyes with the Head of Gryffindor house.

"I'm listening, Professor. We must not be seen."

Professor McGonagall gave almost a sneer- how Severus-like- and nodded firmly. "Correct." Charlotte smiled. She had not been listening. Professor McGonagall had just repeated that sentiment about ten times. "That is _imperative._ You risk damaging the sanity of your classmates as well as the fabric of time, do you understand?"

"Yes, Professor," Hermione Granger said eagerly from where she sat beside Charlotte. "We'll be most responsible, we promise!"

 _Now_ Professor McGonagall smiled. Charlotte almost rolled her eyes and thought something rather rude about her professor, but then made eye contact with her brother who was standing in the corner of the office. He smirked. _Arrogant Gryffindors,_ he was probably thinking. She grinned.

"You must look at one another's schedules and make sure you can either use the Time Turner together or take turns at the appropriate times. All of the professors within the school are aware that the two of you will be using it and want to stress that while they find it remarkable that two third years want to take every class available to them- you may find the coursework unbearable."

"But Professor, I want to learn everything," Hermione insisted. She looked at Charlotte as though expecting her to agree with her wholeheartedly.

The truth was, Charlotte had no desire to take Divination or Muggle Studies. She lived in a Muggle village all her life and her best friend from home, Mason, was a Muggle. Her own _father,_ whom she had never met, was a Muggle. And everyone knew Divination was absolute bollocks.

So of course in her meeting with her brother at the end of her second year, she had registered for Care of Magical Creatures, Arithmancy and Ancient Runes. Her brother commended her on taking 3 extra classes instead of the bare minimal 2. She remarked back that she wasn't afraid to stretch her limits. He seemed proud. All was well.

Until she had seen Hermione at dinner and had asked to see her course request list… and saw all FIVE of the third year secondary courses written down. "How… what… _all five,_ Hermione?" She had asked, absolutely flabbergasted. What she thought was a heavy course load looked as light as feathers compared to Hermione's. "You're Muggleborn! And everyone knows Divination is complete bollocks."

Hermione sighed. "Yes, I know. But I don't know what sort of job I want yet, Charlotte. And what if one of the prerequisites was to have a Divination O.W.L.?"

"So you're going to be taking all of those classes for the next three years?"

"Yes, but I ought to drop one or two by NEWT level."

Perhaps three minutes later, after excusing herself to go to the loo, she was hurriedly knocking on her brother's closed office door after running down into the dungeons. The door swung open and inside was Lucian Bole, a sixth year Slytherin, sitting across the desk from her brother. "Oh," Charlotte muttered, feeling rude. "Sorry, I didn't realize the meetings continued into supper time."

"Lucian was just leaving to go study before he fails his NEWT Potions practical tomorrow morning," Severus said, standing up to show the stressed looking teenage boy out of the office. He shut the door behind him, then looked back at his sister. "Forgive me- were you not occupying that chair just twenty minutes ago?"

"Sev, Hermione Granger is taking _all five_ of the newly offered courses! I have to take all five, too!"

"Impossible," he said almost automatically. "Ancient Runes and Divination run at the same time. Besides, the coursework for taking all five would be tremendous."

"It was on her paper-"

"The paper is a _request_ form. It will be up to the discretion of Professor McGonagall, Miss Granger's parents, and the Headmaster." Severus went to clean up the messy piles of parchment that had gathered on his desk over the course of the day's schedule meetings. "Besides, if she wants to be approved for all five courses, she would have to be approved for a Time Turner and I am fairly certain they will not entrust an object of such risk to a thirteen year old girl."

"A Time-Turner?" Charlotte gaped in awe. How thrilling! "Severus, please let me change my form. I want to take all five as well!"

"Why? You were raised in a Muggle town. The _sperm donor_ was a Muggle. That boy, Marvin-"

"Mason!"

"-is a Muggle. And everyone knows Divination is absolute bollocks."

"I _know,_ but I can't let Hermione Granger get ahead of me. I can be at the top of my year! Besides, Divination can't be much work. And Muggle Studies should be rather easy."

"We'll see," her brother warned her, pulling her form out of the files to the side of his desk. "I have yet to meet the new Muggle Studies teacher coming in the fall." He sighed and took out the roll of parchment upon which her course requests were written. He looked up at her.

"Charlotte, spite is no way to go about this. You may be smarter than Hermione Granger by not doing this. If you genuinely wanted to take these courses, I would have no concerns, but spending hours on work you find menial is… draining. But if you are sure-"

"I'm sure," she said, trying to sound confident. But his words made her worry. Maybe he was right and this was a bad idea. But she couldn't back down now- how un-Slytherin would that be. "I can do it, Sev. I won't let you down."

And so Severus reluctantly put in the request. In late July, both Charlotte and Hermione received letters congratulating them on their requests being approved and informing them of a meeting at Hogwarts the week before term began to receive their shared Time Turner and learn about how to use it. But they hadn't gotten there yet. McGonagall had just been listing all the risks.

"I want to learn everything, too," Charlotte replied, smiling at Hermione, even though it wasn't quite true.

"That is all good and well," McGonagall said, standing up. "But just no there is no shame in dropping a course or two if the workload is too much to handle. Now, Miss Prince, hand me the Time Turner. I'm going to show you how to go back in time."


End file.
